The Barber And The Stranger

 Ed Cannon was a farmer in the community of Crider where my Mom grew up.  Actually, I really don't know how much farming he accomplished. All the stories my Mom told about him were of his practical jokes and trying to get one over on somebody.  He lived across the road, down a lane from Grandpa Fox's house with his wife "Chick" (Ida).  As far as I know, they didn't have children, which may have been a blessing, considering the shenanigans that Ed pulled! Just consider the following story.....

Ed was just loafing around West Plains and as always, looking for somebody's "leg to pull".  He struck up a conversation with a stranger uptown and found out that the stranger was needing a haircut.  Ed commenced to explain that there was a barber down by the stockyards that he could highly recommend.  Ed went on and on about the barber's haircutting abilities and then said "There's just one problem...He's deaf as a post".  "When you go in his shop, you just hafta holler at him so he can hear you."  The stranger thanked Ed, told him he had some other business to conduct uptown and after that the would go get his haircut.

In the meanwhile, Ed hightailed it down to the stockyards and sauntered into the barber shop he had so highly recommended.  They swapped greetings and small talk for a few minutes and then Ed, (as if he just remembered) said "Say, I just met a feller uptown that needed a haircut".  (I hope by now you've figgered out that the barber ain't deaf...)  Ed went on to say he had recommended the barber to the stranger, described how he was dressed and then said "There's just one problem with this feller...He's deaf as a post."  "So...When he comes in you'll just hafta to holler at him so he can hear you."  Ed explained that he just wanted to give the barber a heads-up, that he had business elsewhere and then skedaddled out.

In a little while, the stranger walks into the barber shop.....  The barber recognizes him from Ed's description and immediately starts hollering out his "GREETINGS AND SALUTATIONS"!  And...the stranger replies in kind... hollering out his "HOWDY'S"!  It is soon apparent that neither one is deaf and that Ed has pulled off another good joke!